CN212281230U

CN212281230U - Cleaning pad

Info

Publication number: CN212281230U
Application number: CN202020690309.9U
Authority: CN
Inventors: B·卢卡斯
Original assignee: Aerobert
Current assignee: Aerobert; iRobot Corp
Priority date: 2019-04-30
Filing date: 2020-04-29
Publication date: 2021-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2030-04-29
Also published as: US11564547B2; CN212281229U; US20200345197A1; CN212261276U; WO2020223006A1

Abstract

A cleaning pad comprising a mounting surface disposed on a top side of the cleaning pad, the mounting surface configured to provide mechanical connection to a cleaning robot. The cleaning pad further comprises: a first outer layer disposed on the front portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the first outer layer having a first coefficient of friction; and a second outer layer disposed on a rear portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the second outer layer having a second coefficient of friction that is less than the first coefficient of friction. The front portion of the cleaning pad is angled relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad.

Description

Cleaning pad

Priority requirement

This application claims priority from U.S. patent application 62/840,773 filed 2019, 30/4, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present application relates to mobile robotics, and more particularly, to cleaning pads for autonomous cleaning robots.

Background

Cleaning robots include mobile robots that autonomously perform cleaning tasks in an environment (e.g., in a home). Many types of cleaning robots are autonomous to some extent and have different ways of autonomy. The cleaning robot includes a controller configured to autonomously maneuver the cleaning robot in an environment such that the cleaning robot may ingest debris as it moves.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

Some cleaning robots may include a cleaning pad. The cleaning pad can be mounted underneath the cleaning robot and can collect debris during cleaning tasks performed by the cleaning robot. In some cases, a dust cloud (dust bunny) can accumulate on the front of the cleaning pad. Dust masses are most commonly found in areas that are not cleaned often (e.g., under furniture) and may include a collection of hair and/or lint. The accumulated dust masses may interfere with the proper functioning of the cleaning robot sensor, e.g. clog the cleaning robot sensor. The inventors have recognized, among other things, that it is possible to provide a cleaning pad that can mitigate the accumulation of dust masses in front of the cleaning pad during the cleaning task of the cleaning robot, thereby reducing interference with the cleaning robot sensors.

In one aspect, the cleaning pad includes a mounting surface disposed on a top side of the cleaning pad. The mounting surface is configured to provide a mechanical connection to the autonomous cleaning robot. The cleaning pad includes: a first outer layer disposed on the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the first outer layer having a first coefficient of friction; and a second outer layer disposed on the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the second outer layer having a second coefficient of friction, the second coefficient of friction being less than the first coefficient of friction.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following features:

the surface area of the first outer layer is greater than the surface area of the second outer layer. The ratio of the surface area of the first outer layer to the surface area of the second outer layer is 1:1 to 10: 1.

The second outer layer is disposed forward of at least a portion of the first outer layer.

The front portion of the cleaning pad is angled relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad. The angle between the front of the cleaning pad and the back of the cleaning pad is 30 ° to 60 °.

The second outer layer comprises a layer of material wrapped over the front edge of the cleaning pad.

The cleaning pad includes a core, wherein the mounting surface is disposed on a top surface of the core, and the first and second outer layers are disposed on a bottom surface of the core. The first outer layer includes a layer of material wrapped over the core. The first outer layer is disposed directly on the bottom surface of the core, and the second outer layer is disposed on a front portion of the first outer layer. The first outer layer is disposed directly on a rear portion of the bottom surface of the core and the second outer layer is disposed directly on a front portion of the bottom surface of the core.

The second outer layer comprises a polymer, such as a polymer layer with a release coating.

The second outer layer includes an adhesive tape.

The second outer layer includes a thin film coating.

The second outer layer comprises a folded layer of material. The folded material layer of the second outer layer defines a rearward opening.

The second outer layer spans the entire width of the cleaning pad.

The cleaning pad has a front section with a thickness greater than a rear section of the cleaning pad.

A depression is defined in the bottom surface of the cleaning pad rearward of the second outer layer.

The second coefficient of friction is less than half the first coefficient of friction.

In one aspect, there is provided an autonomous cleaning robot comprising: a robot main body including a front portion and a rear portion; a drive system for manipulating the robot body on a floor surface; a cleaning assembly fixed at a front of the robot body, the cleaning assembly including a pad holder; and a cleaning pad secured to the pad holder of the cleaning assembly by a mounting surface of the cleaning pad. The mounting surface of the cleaning pad is disposed on the top side of the cleaning pad. The cleaning pad includes: a first outer layer disposed on a bottom side of the cleaning pad, the first outer layer having a first coefficient of friction; and a second outer layer disposed on the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the second outer layer having a second coefficient of friction that is less than the first coefficient of friction.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following features:

the front edge of the cleaning pad is aligned with the front edge of the robot body.

The surface area of the first outer layer of the cleaning pad is greater than the surface area of the second outer layer.

The second outer layer of the cleaning pad is disposed forward of at least a portion of the first outer layer.

The front portion of the cleaning pad is angled relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad.

The cleaning pad includes a core, wherein the mounting surface is disposed on a top surface of the core, and the first and second outer layers are disposed on a bottom surface of the core. The first outer layer is disposed directly on the bottom surface of the core, and the second outer layer is disposed on a front portion of the first outer layer.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an autonomous cleaning robot.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the autonomous cleaning robot.

Fig. 3A and 3B are schematic views of an autonomous cleaning robot near a cliff.

Fig. 4A and 4B are bottom and top views, respectively, of a cleaning pad.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the cleaning pad.

Fig. 6-8 are cross-sectional views of the front of the cleaning pad.

Fig. 9 and 10 are bottom views of cleaning pads.

Fig. 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views of a cleaning pad.

Fig. 12 is a schematic view of an autonomous cleaning robot.

Detailed Description

A cleaning pad for an autonomous cleaning robot is described herein that includes a low friction layer at a front portion of the cleaning pad and a fibrous layer at a rear portion of the cleaning pad. The presence of the low friction layer helps reduce the accumulation of debris (e.g., dust or pet hair) at or near the front edge of the cleaning pad. The leading edge of the cleaning pad is located near a cliff sensor of the autonomous cleaning robot that detects changes in the height of the floor, for example, to prevent the autonomous cleaning robot from falling (drop) from a fall such as a stair. By reducing the accumulation of debris near the cliff sensor, the functionality of the cliff sensor may remain reliable and stable (robust) over a range of floor cleaning conditions, and the autonomous cleaning robot may be protected from damage due to being dropped, thereby protecting the structural integrity of the autonomous cleaning robot.

Referring to fig. 1, a cleaning pad 100 is attached to an exemplary autonomous cleaning robot 110. The drive system maneuvers the autonomous cleaning robot 110 across the floor surface 104. The wheels 114 support the rear portion 106 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 and the cleaning pad 100 supports the front portion 108 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. As the autonomous cleaning robot 110 navigates (navigate) across the floor surface 104, the cleaning pad 100 contacts the floor surface 104 and provides a cleaning function, such as a wet mopping or dry cleaning function. The cleaning pad 100 is reversibly attached to the pad holder 112 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110, e.g., such that the cleaning pad 100 can be replaced after the autonomous cleaning robot 110 completes a cleaning task or when the cleaning pad 100 is soiled. Cleaning pad 100 can be a disposable cleaning pad or a reusable cleaning pad.

Fig. 2 shows a bottom view of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. The cleaning pad 100 is disposed toward a front 108 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 to provide a cleaning function while the autonomous cleaning robot is navigating over a floor surface.

The autonomous cleaning robot 110 includes

front cliff sensors

200a, 200b (collectively referred to as cliff sensors 200) provided in front corners of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. Cliff sensor 200 may be a mechanical drop sensor or a light-based proximity sensor, such as a pair of infrared light-based IR (infrared) dual emitter-single receiver or IR dual receiver-single emitter proximity sensors aimed downward at the floor surface. The cliff sensor 200 spans between the side walls of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 and closely covers the corners to detect floor height changes that exceed a threshold (a threshold that the reversible robot wheels can accommodate to fall) before the autonomous cleaning robot 110 crosses the corresponding floor portion. For example, positioning the cliff sensor 200 near a corner of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 helps to ensure that the cliff sensor 200 can trigger when the autonomous cleaning robot 110 is suspended above the floor drop, thereby preventing the robot wheels 114 from advancing past the drop edge.

The exemplary autonomous cleaning robot 110 includes one

front cliff sensor

200a, 200b at each front corner. In some examples, the autonomous cleaning robot may include only one front cliff sensor, or may include two or more cliff sensors. In some examples, the autonomous cleaning robot may include one or more rear cliff sensors disposed in the rear portion 106 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 (e.g., in one or more rear corners).

As the autonomous cleaning robot 110 navigates across a floor surface to perform a dry cleaning task, the front portion 208 of the cleaning pad 100 traverses the floor earlier than the rear portion 210 of the cleaning pad 100 when the autonomous cleaning robot 110 moves in a forward direction. For some cleaning pads, debris from the floor surface can accumulate on the front of the cleaning pad attached to the autonomous cleaning robot while performing the cleaning task. For example, debris such as a dust mass or pet hair can become trapped on the front edge of the (ensnared) cleaning pad. In some cases, debris may accumulate large enough to block one or more front cliff sensors 200, which may affect the ability of cliff sensors 200 to detect changes in floor height.

To effectively prevent debris from accumulating at the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100, a low friction layer 204 is provided at the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100. A fibrous layer 202 is disposed at the rear 210 of the cleaning pad 100. The coefficient of friction between the low friction layer 204 and the debris is less than the coefficient of friction between the fibrous layer 202 and the debris. For simplicity, the coefficient of friction between the low friction layer 204 and the debris is sometimes referred to simply as the coefficient of friction of the low friction layer 204, while the coefficient of friction between the fiber layer 202 and the debris is sometimes referred to simply as the coefficient of friction of the fiber layer 202. The low friction layer 204 and the fibrous layer 202 are substantially coplanar, e.g., both the low friction layer 204 and the fibrous layer 202 have at least a portion disposed on the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100.

For some debris, the coefficient of friction between the debris and the floor surface is higher than the coefficient of friction between the debris and the low friction layer 204. Further, the coefficient of friction between the debris and the floor surface may be lower than the coefficient of friction between the debris and the fiber layer 202. In this case, debris will slide across the front 208 of cleaning pad 100 and accumulate at the rear 210 of cleaning pad 100 without debris obstructing the function of the cliff sensor at the rear. As the low friction layer 204 of the cleaning pad 100 moves over the debris, the debris is compressed by the pressure exerted by the cleaning pad 100 on the floor surface. As the fiber layer 202 passes over debris, the debris collects at the fiber layer 202, e.g., the debris is trapped in the fibers of the fiber layer, thereby keeping the cliff sensor 200 clean. In some examples, front 208 of cleaning pad 100 is thicker than rear 210 of cleaning pad 100, thereby facilitating compression of debris as cleaning pad 100 passes over the debris.

Referring to fig. 3A and 3B, for some debris 300, the coefficient of friction between the debris 300 and the floor surface 104 is relatively low, or the debris 300 is too large to slip between the cleaning pad 100 and the floor surface 104. Such debris 300 can accumulate at the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100, as shown in fig. 3A. However, because the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100 (e.g., the front edge of the cleaning pad 100) is formed of a smooth, low-friction material, accumulated debris is not captured in the cleaning pad. As autonomous cleaning robot 110 navigates near cliff 302, accumulated debris 300 may fall from autonomous cleaning robot 110, as shown in fig. 3B, freeing (free) cliff sensor 200 to detect cliff 302 before autonomous cleaning robot 110 passes over the edge of cliff 302.

Fig. 4A and 4B are bottom and top views, respectively, of cleaning pad 100. The low friction layer 204 is disposed at the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100, while the fibrous layer 202 is disposed at the back 210 of the cleaning pad 100. In some examples, the low friction layer 204 and the fibrous layer 202 are adjacent to each other. In some examples, the fibrous layer 202 extends toward the front 208 of the cleaning pad 100 such that the low friction layer 204 is disposed on the front of the fibrous layer 202. For example, the fibrous layer 202 may cover the entire bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100, while the low friction layer 204 is disposed forward of the bottom surface.

The coefficient of friction between the low friction layer 204 and the debris on the floor surface is less than the coefficient of friction between the fibrous layer 202 and the debris. For example, the coefficient of friction between the low friction layer 204 and the debris may be about 10% to about 60%, such as between about 20% to about 50%, such as between about 30% to about 50%, of the coefficient of friction between the fibrous layer 202 and the debris. For example, the coefficient of friction between the fibrous layer 202 and the debris may be from about 1.0 to about 1.4, while the coefficient of friction between the low friction layer 204 and the debris may be from about 0.2 to about 0.6.

The fibrous layer 202 may be a fibrous non-woven (non-woven) material. The low friction layer 204 may be a woven material, such as a satin or satin-like material. The low friction layer 204 may include a polymer, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In some examples, the low friction layer 204 may be a polymer layer with a release coating (e.g., a silicone release coating).

In the exemplary cleaning pad 100, both the fibrous layer 202 and the low friction layer 204 span the width w of the cleaning pad 100. The surface area of the fibrous layer 202 (e.g., the surface area of the fibrous layer 202 on the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100) is equal to or greater than the surface area of the low friction layer 204 (e.g., the surface area of the low friction layer 204 on the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100). For example, the ratio of the surface area of the fibrous layer 202 to the surface area of the low friction layer 204 may be from about 1:1 to about 10:1, such as from about 2:1 to about 5:1, about 2:1, about 3:1, about 4:1, or about 5: 1. The ratio of the surface area of the fibrous layer 202 to the surface area of the low friction layer 204 may be such that the cleaning pad retains a substantial amount of its cleaning ability (which is typically provided by the fibrous layer 202) while achieving its ability to shield the cliff sensor from debris (which is provided by the low friction layer 204, for example).

In the cleaning pad 100, the fibrous layer 202 is wrapped around the cleaning pad 100 such that the fibrous layer 202 is also present on the top surface 214 of the cleaning pad 100 (fig. 4B). The low friction layer 204 is wrapped around the front edge 212 of the cleaning pad 100 such that a portion of the low friction layer 204 is disposed on the top surface 214 of the cleaning pad 100 (fig. 4B). In some examples, the low friction layer 204 is disposed only on the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100 and is not wrapped around the front edge 212 or the top surface 214. In some examples, the fibrous layer 202 is disposed only on the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100.

A mounting surface 216 is provided on the top surface 214 of the cleaning pad 100 for mechanical attachment to an autonomous cleaning robot. For example, the mounting surface 216 may be shaped to be received by the pad holder 112 (fig. 1) of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. The mounting surface 216 may be, for example, cardboard, plastic, or other material suitable for securing the cleaning pad 100 to the pad holder of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. When the cleaning pad 100 is mounted on the autonomous cleaning robot, the bottom surface 206 of the cleaning pad 100 (including the fibrous and low friction layers 202, 204) faces the floor to be cleaned.

Referring to fig. 5, in some examples, a cleaning pad 500 for use with the autonomous cleaning robot 110 is comprised of a plurality of segments 520a-520e (collectively segments 520). The cleaning pad 500 is comprised of five segments, but in some examples, the cleaning pad can be comprised of more or fewer segments. Segment 520 is defined by transition regions 522a-522d (collectively transition regions 522), each of which extends across the width of cleaning pad 500. In each transition region 522, elements of cleaning pad 500 (e.g., one or more core layers (discussed below), low friction layers, fibrous layers) are secured together through the thickness of cleaning pad 500 such that the thickness of transition region 522 is less than the thickness of section 520 of cleaning pad 500.

The front section 520a of the cleaning pad 500 includes a low friction layer 504 and the rear sections 520b-520e of the cleaning pad 500 include a fibrous layer 502. The low friction layer 504 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 502, for example as described above for the

layers

202, 204 of fig. 4. In some examples, the plurality of segments include a low friction layer 504.

In some examples, front section 520a of cleaning pad 500 is thicker than one or more of rear sections 520b-520e, e.g., to help cleaning pad 500 compress debris. In some examples, one or more sections (e.g., second section 520b of cleaning pad 500) are thinner than front section 520a to provide space in which debris can accumulate.

In cleaning pad 500, segments 520 have equal lengths along the direction of travel x of the cleaning pad. In some cleaning pads, one or more segments 520 may be longer or shorter than one or more other segments.

Segments 520 of cleaning pad 500 can be formed from a cleaning pad without segments by machining, such as by mechanical embossing, ultrasonic welding, or other types of machining. Additional details regarding segmented cleaning pads can be found in U.S. patent application publication US 2018/0344117, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Fig. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the front of an example cleaning pad 600, e.g., the cleaning pad 600 can be used with the autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. For example, the cross-sectional profile shown in fig. 6 can be the cross-sectional profile of cleaning pad 100 of fig. 2. The cleaning pad 600 includes a wick 630. The fiber layer 602 is disposed directly on the core 630 and wound around the core 630. The low friction layer 604 is disposed on the front of the fibrous layer 602 and wraps around the front edge 612 of the cleaning pad 600. For example, the low friction layer 604 may be a tape, spray, film, or other suitable form of material applied to the front. In this configuration, both the fibrous layer 602 and the low friction layer 604 are disposed on the bottom surface 606 of the cleaning pad 600. The low friction layer 604 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 602, for example as described above for the

layers

202, 204 of fig. 4. In some examples, both the fibrous layer 602 and the low friction layer 604 are disposed directly on the core 630, with the fibrous layer 602 disposed directly on the back of the core 630 and the low friction layer 604 disposed directly on the front of the core 630.

In cleaning pad 600, fibrous layer 602 is wrapped around the entire surface of core 630, forming an overlap region 640 on the top surface of cleaning pad 600 where fibrous layer 602 overlaps both itself and low friction layer 604. The presence of overlap region 640 provides mechanical stability to the structure of cleaning pad 600 and prevents low friction layer 604 from peeling off the surface of cleaning pad 600.

The core 630 of the cleaning pad 600 includes a plurality of sub-layers, including a top structural layer 632a, a bottom structural layer 632b, and a compressible layer 634. In some examples, the core 630 may include additional sub-layers. In some examples, the core 630 may be a single layer of material.

Fig. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the front of an exemplary cleaning pad 700, e.g., cleaning pad 700 is used with autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. Cleaning pad 700 is comprised of a plurality of segments 720a-720c (collectively segments 720). For example, the cross-sectional profile shown in fig. 7 can be the cross-sectional profile of cleaning pad 500 of fig. 5.

The cleaning pad 700 includes a core 730, the core 730 including a plurality of sub-layers including a top structural layer 732a, a bottom structural layer 732b, and a compressible layer 734. The top structural layer 732a extends further forward than the bottom structural layer 732 b.

Fiber layer 702 is disposed directly on core 730 and wound around core 730. Low friction layer 704 is disposed on fibrous layer 702 at front section 720a of cleaning pad 700 and wraps around front edge 712 of cleaning pad 700. In some examples, both the fibrous layer 702 and the low friction layer 704 are disposed directly on the core 730. The low friction layer 704 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 702, for example as described above for

layers

202, 204 of fig. 4.

Due to the difference in length between the top structural layer 732a and the bottom structural layer 732b of the core 730, the process of forming the sections 720 in the cleaning pad 700 results in tension being applied to the fibrous layer 702 and the low friction layer 704 on the bottom surface of the cleaning pad 700. The tension on

layers

702, 704 pulls the longer top structural layer 732a downward so that the front 708 of cleaning pad 700 is angled downward relative to the back 710 of cleaning pad 700. For example, front 708 of cleaning pad 700 can have an angle θ of about 30 ° to about 60 °, e.g., about 45 °, with respect to the plane of cleaning pad 700. Angling the front 708 of cleaning pad 700 downward may cause the front 708 of cleaning pad 700 to act as a plow (plow) pushing debris forward as the autonomous cleaning robot navigates across the debris.

Fig. 8 illustrates the front of an exemplary cleaning pad 800, e.g., cleaning pad 800 is used with autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. The cleaning pad 800 is comprised of a plurality of segments 820a-820c (collectively referred to as segments 820). For example, the cross-sectional profile shown in fig. 8 can be the cross-sectional profile of cleaning pad 500 of fig. 5.

The cleaning pad 800 includes a core 830 having a plurality of sub-layers including a top structural layer 832a, a bottom structural layer 832b, and a compressible layer 834. Bottom structural layer 832b extends further forward than top structural layer 832 a.

Fiber layer 802 is disposed directly on core 830 and wound around core 830. The low friction layer 804 is disposed on the fibrous layer 802 at the front section 820a of the cleaning pad 800 and wraps around the front edge 812 of the cleaning pad 800. The low friction layer 804 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 802, for example, as described above for the

layers

202, 204 of fig. 4.

The process of forming the segments 820 in the cleaning pad 800 causes tension to be applied to the fibrous layer 802 and the low friction layer 804 on the top surface of the cleaning pad 800 due to the difference in length between the top structural layer 832a and the bottom structural layer 832b of the core 830. The tension on the layers 802, 804 pulls the longer bottom structural layer 832b upward so that the front 808 of the cleaning pad 800 is angled upward relative to the back 810 of the cleaning pad 800. For example, front 808 of cleaning pad 800 can have an angle θ of about 30 ° to about 60 °, such as about 45 °, with respect to the plane of cleaning pad 800. Angling the front 808 of the cleaning pad 800 upward can enable the front 808 to act as a wedge (wedge) to drive debris under the cleaning pad 800 where it is compressed and captured by the fibrous layer 802.

Fig. 9 illustrates a bottom view of an exemplary cleaning pad 900, e.g., cleaning pad 900 used with autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. Cleaning pad 900 has a fibrous layer 902 disposed over the entire extent of the bottom surface of the cleaning pad. For example, the fibrous layer 902 may be wrapped around the cleaning pad. The non-continuous low friction layer disposed on fibrous layer 902 at front 908 of cleaning pad 900 includes first and second

low friction regions

904a, 904b (collectively referred to as low friction layer 904) such that low friction layer 904 does not span the entire width w of cleaning pad 900. In this configuration, a portion of the front edge 912 of cleaning pad 900 comprises the material of low friction layer 904, while a portion of the front edge 912 comprises the material of fibrous layer 902. As described above, the coefficient of friction of the low friction layer 904 is less than the coefficient of friction of the fibrous layer 902. The first and second low friction areas 904 are positioned such that when the cleaning pad 900 is mounted on the autonomous cleaning robot, the first and second low friction areas 904 are positioned substantially near the front cliff sensor of the autonomous cleaning robot.

The cleaning pad 900 of FIG. 9 has sections 920a-920e, and the first and second low friction regions 904 occupy portions of the front section 920 a. The remainder of the front section 920a is formed by the fibrous layer 902. In some examples, a cleaning pad without segments can include a non-continuous low friction layer that does not span the entire width of the cleaning pad.

In cleaning pad 900, the ratio of the surface area of fibrous layer 902 to the surface area of low friction layer 904 can be higher than in a cleaning pad in which low friction layer 904 extends across the width. For example, the ratio of the surface area of fibrous layer 902 to the surface area of low friction layer 904 may be about 10:1 to about 20:1, thereby enabling cleaning pad 900 to retain more cleaning power while achieving the ability to shield the cliff sensor from debris (e.g., provided by

low friction areas

904a, 904b aligned with the cliff sensor).

Fig. 10 illustrates a bottom view of an exemplary cleaning pad 950, e.g., cleaning pad 950 is used with autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. Fibrous layer 952 is disposed on rear portion 960 of the bottom surface of cleaning pad 950 and low friction layer 954 is disposed on front portion 958 of the bottom surface of cleaning pad 950. The low friction layer 954 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 952, for example as described above for

layers

202, 204 of fig. 4. A depression 962 is formed in the bottom surface of cleaning pad 950 behind low friction layer 954. As the autonomous cleaning robot with cleaning pad 950 attached thereto navigates over debris, the debris slides over low friction front portion 958 of cleaning pad 950 and accumulates in depression 962, thereby allowing bottom surface 956 of cleaning pad 950 to freely clean the floor surface.

Cleaning pad 950 of FIG. 10 has segments 970a-970e, where depression 962 is formed in second segment 970 b. In some examples, a cleaning pad without segments may also form depressions on its bottom surface.

Fig. 11A and 11B illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary cleaning pad 250, such as cleaning pad 250, for use with autonomous cleaning robot 110 of fig. 1. Fig. 11A illustrates a configuration of cleaning pad 250 when cleaning pad 250 is attached to an autonomous cleaning robot that is moving forward (e.g., such that front 258 of cleaning pad 250 contacts the floor surface earlier than back 260 of cleaning pad 250). Fig. 11B shows the configuration of the cleaning pad when the autonomous cleaning robot moves in reverse (e.g., such that the rear portion 260 of the cleaning pad 250 contacts the floor surface earlier than the front portion 258).

The cleaning pad 250 includes a low friction layer 254 disposed on a front portion 258 of a bottom surface 256 of the cleaning pad 250 and a fibrous layer 252 disposed on a rear portion 260 of the bottom surface 256. The low friction layer 254 has a lower coefficient of friction than the fibrous layer 252, for example as described above for the

layers

202, 204 of FIG. 4. The cleaning pad 250 also includes a folded element, such as a flap 270, wherein a first edge 272 of the flap 270 is secured to the low friction layer 254 and a second edge 274 of the flap 270 is free. The first side 276 of the flap 270 is formed from the material of the low friction layer and the second side 278 of the flap is formed from the material of the fibrous layer.

When the autonomous cleaning robot moves forward, the flap 270 is in the configuration of fig. 11A, wherein the flap 270 is oriented toward the rear 260 of the cleaning pad 250 and a pocket 280 is defined between the flap 270 and the bottom surface 256 of the cleaning pad 250. The low friction material on the first side 276 of the flap 270 is exposed to the floor surface such that the flap 270 acts as an element of the low friction layer 254.

When the autonomous cleaning robot moves in reverse, the flaps 270 are in the configuration of fig. 11B, where the flaps 270 are oriented toward the front 258 of the cleaning pad 250. The fibrous material on the second side 278 of the flap 270 is exposed to the floor surface such that the flap 270 captures debris that, if not captured, would move toward the front 258 of the cleaning pad 250. When the autonomous cleaning robot again moves forward, the bag 280 restrains debris captured by the second side 278 of the airfoil 270, which may prevent the debris from interfering with the operation of the cliff sensor.

In some examples, the low friction layer of the cleaning pad can provide mechanical stability to the cleaning pad. For example, some fibrous layers may be stretchable and some low friction layers may have substantially less stretchability, e.g., the material of the low friction layer may have a higher modulus of elasticity than the material of the fibrous layers. The presence of the low friction layer may provide a degree of resistance to stretching of the cleaning pad (e.g., stretching in the direction of movement of the autonomous cleaning robot). In some examples, a low friction layer may be disposed on all or a portion of the top surface of the cleaning pad to provide rigidity against stretching.

Referring to fig. 12, an autonomous cleaning robot (e.g., autonomous cleaning robot 110) includes a driver (not shown) that can maneuver the autonomous cleaning robot 110 over a floor surface based on, for example, drive commands having x, y, and θ components.

The front portion 108 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 carries a movable bumper 160 for detecting a collision in a longitudinal direction (e.g., front or rear) or a lateral direction (e.g., left or right).

In some examples, the cleaning pad (not shown) extends beyond the width of the bumper 160 so that the autonomous cleaning robot 110 can dispose the outer edge of the cleaning pad up and along a hard to reach surface or into a gap, such as at a wall-floor interface. In some examples, the cleaning pad extends to the edge and does not extend beyond a pad holder (not shown) of the robot. In such an example, the cleaning pad may be blunt cut (blunted cut) at the end and absorbent on the side surface. The autonomous cleaning robot 110 may push the edge of the cleaning pad against the wall surface. The position of the cleaning pad also allows the cleaning pad to clean a surface or crevice of a wall through the extended edge of the cleaning pad as the autonomous cleaning robot 110 moves in a wall following motion pattern. The extension of the cleaning pad 100 thus enables the autonomous cleaning robot 110 to clean crevices and gaps.

A reservoir 172 within the body 152 contains a cleaning fluid (e.g., a cleaning solution, water, and/or a cleaning agent). The autonomous cleaning robot 110 has a fluid applicator 176 connected to the reservoir 172 by a tube. The fluid applicator 176 may be a sprayer or spray mechanism including one or more nozzles 178. In some examples of the fluid applicator 176, the plurality of nozzles are configured to spray fluid in different directions. The fluid applicator may apply the fluid downward through the bottom of the bumper 160 rather than dropping or spraying the cleaning fluid outward directly in front of the autonomous cleaning robot 110. In some examples, the fluid applicator is a microfiber cloth or strip, a fluid dispersion brush, or a sprayer. In some examples, the autonomous cleaning robot 110 includes a single nozzle.

The cleaning pad and autonomous cleaning robot 110 are sized and shaped to maintain fore-aft balance of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 by transferring cleaning fluid from the reservoir 172 to the absorbent cleaning pad during dynamic motion. The fluid is distributed such that the autonomous cleaning robot 110 may continuously push the cleaning pad on the floor surface without raising the rear portion 106 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 and tilting the front portion 108 of the autonomous cleaning robot 110 downward as the cleaning pad becomes more saturated (saturated) and less fluid in the reservoir 172 becomes available, which would apply a downward motion-inhibiting force to the autonomous cleaning robot 110. Thus, the autonomous cleaning robot 110 is able to move the cleaning pad over the floor surface even when the cleaning pad is fully liquid saturated and the reservoir is empty. The autonomous cleaning robot 110 may track the amount of floor surface that has traveled and/or the amount of fluid remaining in the reservoir 172 and provide an audible and/or visual alert to the user to replace the cleaning pad and/or refill the reservoir 172. In some embodiments, if the cleaning pad is fully saturated or otherwise needs to be replaced, and if there is still a floor to be cleaned, the autonomous cleaning robot 110 stops moving and remains in place on the floor surface.

The robots and techniques described herein, or portions thereof, may be controlled by a computer program product that includes instructions stored on one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media, which are executable on one or more processing devices to control (e.g., coordinate) the operations described herein. The robots, or portions thereof, described herein may be implemented as all or part of a device or electronic system that may include one or more processing devices and memory to store executable instructions to implement various operations.

Operations associated with implementing all or part of the robot operations and controls described herein may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform the functions described herein. For example, a mobile device, a cloud computing system configured to communicate with the mobile device and an autonomous cleaning robot, and a controller of the robot may each include a processor programmed with a computer program to perform functions such as sending signals, calculating estimates, or interpreting signals. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

The controller and mobile devices described herein may include one or more processors. Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory region or a random access memory region or both. Elements of a computer include one or more processors for executing instructions and one or more memory area devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from and/or transfer data to, one or more machine-readable storage media (e.g., a mass PCB for storing data, such as a magnetic, magneto-optical disk, or optical disk). Machine-readable storage media suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile storage, including by way of example semiconductor memory device, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory device; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

The robot control and operation techniques described herein may be applicable to control other mobile robots in addition to cleaning robots. For example, as described herein, a lawn mowing robot or a space monitoring robot may be trained to perform operations in a particular portion of a lawn or space.

Elements of different embodiments described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically set forth above. Some elements may be excluded from the structures described herein without adversely affecting their operation. In addition, various separate elements may be combined into one or more separate elements to perform the functions described herein.

Claims

1. A cleaning pad, comprising:

a mounting surface disposed on a top side of the cleaning pad, the mounting surface configured to provide a mechanical connection to a cleaning robot;

a first outer layer disposed on the front portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the first outer layer having a first coefficient of friction; and

a second outer layer disposed on a rear portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad, the second outer layer having a second coefficient of friction that is less than the first coefficient of friction;

wherein the front portion of the cleaning pad is angled relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad.

2. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the front portion of the cleaning pad is angled upwardly relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad.

3. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the front portion of the cleaning pad is angled downwardly relative to the rear portion of the cleaning pad.

4. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the angle between the front of the cleaning pad and the back of the cleaning pad is from 30 ° to 60 °.

5. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the second outer layer extends around a front edge of the cleaning pad.

6. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning pad comprises a core, the mounting surface is disposed on a top surface of the core, and the first and second outer layers are disposed on a bottom surface of the core.

7. A cleaning pad according to claim 6, wherein the core comprises a plurality of sublayers.

8. A cleaning pad according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-layers of the core comprise a structural layer and a compressible layer.

9. A cleaning pad according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sublayers of the core comprise at least two structural layers having different lengths.

10. A cleaning pad according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-layers of the core comprise a top structural layer and a bottom structural layer, wherein the top structural layer extends further forward than the bottom structural layer.

11. A cleaning pad according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-layers of the core comprise a top structural layer and a bottom structural layer, wherein the bottom structural layer extends further forward than the top structural layer.

12. A cleaning pad according to claim 6, wherein the first outer layer is disposed directly on the bottom surface of the core and the second outer layer is disposed on the front portion of the first outer layer.

13. A cleaning pad according to claim 6, wherein the first outer layer is disposed directly on the bottom surface of the core and the second outer layer is disposed directly on the front portion of the bottom surface of the core.

14. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, comprising a front section comprising a front portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad and one or more rear sections comprising a rear portion of the bottom side of the cleaning pad.

15. A cleaning pad according to claim 14, wherein the front and rear sections are defined by one or more transition regions, each transition region having a thickness that is less than the thickness of each of the front and rear sections.

16. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the second outer layer comprises a polymer.

17. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the second outer layer comprises a polymer layer having a release coating.

18. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the second outer layer comprises a woven material.

19. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the first outer layer comprises a nonwoven material.

20. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein the second coefficient of friction is less than half the first coefficient of friction.